


Beach Day!

by yeahwrite



Category: Vampire: The Masquerade, Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines (Video Game)
Genre: And I Must Scream, Beach Day, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Horror, I can't tag too much because spoilers, Minor Spoilers, Minor Swearing, Past Character Death, Shopping, Treating Yourself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-23
Updated: 2019-05-23
Packaged: 2020-03-13 05:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18934483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeahwrite/pseuds/yeahwrite
Summary: It’s sunny in Los Angeles, so one person decides what better time for a trip to the beach?Even if there was recently a gory horrific murder there.Although of course, not being one to typically go out to the beach, they have to make a few purchases first.





	Beach Day!

The blue-haired woman’s mouth twisted, as she looked over all of the many, many various suncream bottles.

Factor this, brand that, they couldn’t just make it easy, could they?

And it was so, so loud in here too, making it harder to think…

The woman’s shoulders tensed then, realising someone was approaching.

They were forced back to relax though, with a sigh escaping from her lips as shoulders slackened.

This was just a…a store clerk.

He was no danger.

There was no need to be paranoid now, even after what had happened in that wretched-

“Can I help you mam?” The clerk asked, in a tone that failed to bother to try hide how utterly bored the man was.

The honesty of that was almost refreshing, encouraging a small smile in response.

And the matter of it was, they did need help.

“Yes, actually. I was just wanting to know which one of these lotions would best suit a day in the beach?”  They gestured at the row in front of them.

The man didn’t spare more than a brief glance himself.

“Well, factor 50’s the strongest. Or strongest we have here.” A shrug.

“If you’re worried about getting fried, I’d say go get any one of those ones.”  It was then that the clerk’s brows furrowed ever so slightly, as he gave the customer in front of him a look over.

 “W-”

“But, just between you and me-” He cut them off, giving a quick glance behind as he did as his voice turned hushed.

“It’s none of my business what you’re up to, whatever, you do you and all.  But have you not heard about what went down at the Santa Monica pier? If that’s where you want to go, well, most of it is closed.”

The woman’s smile tightened.

Ah yes.

_That whole affair._

“That’s no trouble to me. I’ll just be at the sand, not the pier.” 

An odd look from the clerk, before he grunted, seeming to decide just not to care again.

“Whatever. Suit yourself then. Anything else you need help with?”

“No…no, I’ll be fine from here.”

And fine they were, following the clerk returning back to behind the counter, the customer took his advice and simply picked up a factor 50 bottle and dropped it into their basket.

Then it was over to the sunglasses rack – which was the opposite of trouble for them. They knew  very well how to appreciate a good pair of those, although unfortunately none of them here were exactly to their taste: being cheap and tacky things that would probably break if they squeezed their fingers just that bit harder together.

But they would have to make do, they had to save what limited money they now had for later – especially as they could not remain in L.A for long.

And so, they just picked up one that looked at least partially resembling something of good taste and popped it in their basket with the suncream.

Then it was just a matter of picking up the first dark coloured hat they came across and going back to the counter after all.

The blue-haired woman’s pursed laid on it, as it was rifled through for the change that they needed.

“Farewell!” Was called, as they then cheerfully exited the door for the next destination, excitement very, very clear on them.

Toothy grin and a bounce in their every step.

“Yeah, bye I guess.” Was sullenly replied, as the door to the shop swung shut with a clatter.

Leaving the clerk alone in the quiet shop again, as the customer went on their merry way.

 

* * *

 

 

And here they were.

Sand softly crunching down beneath their feet, warm wind gently blowing through their hair and an even warmer sun shining on them from above.

They closed their eyes and tilted their head up, allowing themselves to bask in this indulgence.

Simply standing there for a while, content, swaying slightly as they did.

Taking in deep, deep breaths of the salty air around them.

They probably looked absolutely weird to anyone who saw them, creepy even – but that was hardly unusually for them, to be perceived in that way. Even if it was usually for differing sorts of reasons.

And they certainly could not bring themself to care in the slightest about what anyone _here_ might think of them – none of them being at all important.

Although, they certainly could bring themself to sit down on the sand – although only to immediately jerk their hand away with a loud yelp, when they did, as the sand turned out to be hot to the touch.

Well.

They’d take care not to do _that_ again.

In hindsight, they really should have guessed what probably would have happened.

They’d have to also take care not to make any other stupid mistakes like this in the future.

But ultimately, they brushed that concern aside and simply took to watching the waves.

A lovely blue, shining from the rays of light above, in a manner that almost looked like crystals.

Or magic.

It was so _beautiful._

The pictures really did nothing for it.

Nothing, other than just being there and seeing it with your own eyes, could do the magnificence of this justice.

They took it all in as much as they could, trying to capture this scene before them as perfectly as they could in their mind, determined to make it so that the images would last forever in there.

Because such indulgences as this could not – _would_ not – last.

 As grateful as they were that this blue-haired woman’s body had allowed them to evade the Final Death of their own, they were not wanting it to remain _mortal_ for long.

God, _no._

Far too _fragile_ , far too _weak_ and far too _fleeting_.

No, no that would not do _at all._

They’d have this moment and then they’d get to looking for some sort of solution to this problem elsewhere.

They closed their eyes again in thought, blocking out the noise once again as they did – no matter how insistent it was.

They needed to think.

They were from a clan of thinkers.

They would get through this latest…set back.

Shoulders slouched, as memories of the night came back with wince, them moving to rub at their neck.

A phantom sharp pain, stinging at it once again.

LaCroix, the short-sighted, presumptuous _bastard!_

Got them having to do this in the first place, because that idiot had been gunning for them and the Anarchs for a _while._

Making _stupid_ mistakes left and right.

Unable to see simple solutions and ways to be even when they were right in front of him, instead classing those who spoke and advocated them as “problems” – at least privately.

The man would call you a friend to your face, of course, as he worked his hardest to stab you in the back.

It would have been only a matter of a very short time the way things were going, before he’d found something to have them done in for, even if they hadn’t agreed to that grand scheme of that pirate.

At least that way, they’d get back at the jester of a Prince and hopefully give the Anarchs that chance they needed, to regain more of a foothold again in L.A.

 _Something_ would be achieved out of their death and they would not have to lose _everything_ for _nothing_.

Or at least, lost _most_ of everything.

They were still here after all, something which did bring comfort and a small smile to their face once again to acknowledge – they’d _won_ in that regard.

He hadn’t been able to stamp them out after all.

And now, there was a small chuckle from them as an inside-joke formed inside their head.

Even they hadn’t had much faith in the back-up plan of theirs, to be entirely honest – but it had _worked._

_Their wild plan and theory had worked._

And to think Strauss had said ghouls were nothing but pointless _distractions!_

Well, this one here had saved their life!

Although...a little thought did worm it’s way up into their head there.

They did wonder how Strauss must have reacted, when news first got to him of what they had done.

It must have been awful _embarrassing,_ an apprentice embracing _outside the Pyramid_ like that!

Such an anarchist _scandal_ there.

 _Much_ bigger than any of those he’d ever cautioned them against repeating before.

Lord couldn’t have been happy with the whole affair either…

Although…while they had faith the illegitimate childe would have made it past the execution, with who was also there, they _did_ hope the other Tremere would allow them to make it any further than that…

Or that would…well…if all of this were for _nothing_ …

No.

No, this was out of their hands now.

Don’t think on that too much.

Nothing they could do anymore.

The pirate could sort and push through that whole mess which was doubtless unfolding.

For now, they would just focus on this lovely day at a beach, basking in the warm and colourful glow of the sky and death-orb above.

Well, that and then _getting out of L.A._

And then getting back to the basics with _sorcery_ , to hopefully attract enough of the right sort of attention to get back in as “new” Pyramid Apprentice and figure out where to go from there _._

Get all that back, so they could have the capacity to do what they actually wanted.

Although before that, they’d have to get rid of this body’s original… _occupant_ , somehow. An occupant currently doing her best to scream and crowd up their head, insisting on trying to wrest control from them and making it almost unbearably _loud_ in there.

That couldn’t stand.

Not only was it hugely irritating, but two occupants to one body would likely be noticed with Auspex and _ruin_ their other plan, if someone ever even briefly used it on them.

So she had to go.

Perhaps they could put her in a statue.

Or an animatronic, those being half way to haunted already from the looks of them.

Or even a mirror! They wondered what that would do, putting a soul in there?

Questions for another time.

And with that resolution, they opened their eyes again to the glistening waters, lapping about.

Opened their eyes again to the first actual _day_ in-

A harsh growl from their stomach then, causing them to look down at it.

A harsh growl that was then followed by another, smaller grumble.

They were…they were _hungry!_

Kine food hungry!

They’d be waiting for that!

They knew what they wanted too!

Ice cream! It would be definitely appropriate for this day out! They felt like they’d have to go all out with it too, see if they could get one of those chocolate flakes and lots of toppings too.

They only hoped somewhere not-closed-because-of-an-indiscrete-murder nearby would sell the stuff,  them never really having had to _look_ before.

After all, the Tremere didn’t want the ice cream melting in the sun, before they got the chance to go back to the beach to _eat it._

**Author's Note:**

> I contemplated tagging this as "body snatching" and "Sire", but those would have been too much in terms of spoilers, so I abstained.
> 
> Nonetheless - I read up, that their is actually a canonical 7th gen Tremere vampire who wound up surviving death by simply putting their spirit elsewhere: and thus this story came.
> 
> I did kept here the sire's gender ambiguous for the sake of interpretation, all “she/her” pronouns being specifically about the body they currently occupy.
> 
> Along with a lot of personality, so that can be based on individual interpretation too: the anarchist things only being specifically mentioned, as the in-game implications seem to be that they themself were at least an Anarch-sympathiser with things like Strauss’ “"transcending the fate woven by your anarch sire" comment.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading!


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